(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to improved headgear, and in particular to a golf cap or other golfer headgear that includes a recess holding a ball marker.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
In marking the position of a ball on a putting green so that the ball will not interfere with the play of another golfer, the usual practice is to temporarily replace the ball with a small marker that will show the ball's correct position, but which will not significantly obstruct the golfer's view or the movement of the other ball. While markers can be of any design, they are usually in the shape of a small disk. Frequently, a coin is used by the golfer as a ball marker.
In many instances, however, the golfer will not have a coin handy for this purpose, or must fumble in his pocket to find a suitable coin, delaying play. To overcome this problem, various devices have been proposed for holding ball markers so that they will be readily available to the golfer. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,739 to Conner describes a pouch for holding a ball marker, golf tees and other items, that can be attached to the golfer's belt.
Another carrier described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,519 includes a clip to attach the carrier to an article of clothing or to a golf bag. U.S. Pat. No. 3,895,797 to Moore describes a ball marker that has a handle on one side and hook-and-loop material on the opposite side so that the ball marker can be attached to a hook-and-loop pad mounted on the bill of a cap.
All of the ball marker storage devices proposed to date, however, have been of limited acceptance since they either require the golfer to wear, or remember to carry, an additional piece of equipment, or are unattractive, or require a golf marker of an unusual design. Thus, there is still a need for a convenient means for a golfer to carry a ball marker of a more conventional design.